Automatic wrapping machines for preformed uniform articles



M y 1964 L. LATINI ETAL 3,131,522

AUTOMATIC WRAPPING MACHINES FOR PREFORMED UNIFORM ARTICLES Filed June 7, 1961 lOSheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS LAT/All, [DMUND LAT/NI BY N0 JOHNATINI A TORI/[Y May 5, 1964 L. LATINI ETAL 3,131,522

AUTOMATIC WRAPPING MACHINES FOR PREFORMED UNIFORM ARTICLES Filed June '7, 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 TORS LEO LAT/NI, EDNOIVDMf/fi/ I o JOHNE. //w B :7 2L

INVEN May 5, 1964 L. LATlNl ETAL 3,131,522-

AUTOMATIC WRAPPING MACHINES FOR PREFORMED UNIFORM ARTICLES Filed June 7; 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTORS LEO LAT/NI EDMOND LATl/V/ A o JdH/v E. T/N/ BY x Q ATTOR/VD y 5, 1964 L. LATlNl ETAL 3,131,522

AUTOMATIC WRAPPING MACHINES FOR PREFORMED UNIFORM ARTICLES Filed June '7, 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 I EN TORS LEO LAT/Nl, EDMOND LATl/V/ NV A o JOHNELN/ A ORNLY May 5, 1964 L. LATlNl ETAL 3,131,522

AUTOMATIC WRAPPING MACHINES FOR PREF'ORMED UNIFORM ARTICLES Filed June 7, 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 ILLLl/l F 3 INVENTORS. LE 0 LAT/NI, EDMONDMf/N/ May 5, 1964 1.. LATIN! ETAL AUTOMATIC WRAPPING MACHINES FOR PREFORMED UNIFORM ARTICLES 10 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed June 7, 1961 INVENTORS LEO LAN/W, EDMOND [AT/N/ AN BY 0/16 y 1964 LATIN] ETAL 3,131,522

AUTOMATIC WRAPPING MACHINES FOR PREFORMED UNIFORM ARTICLES- Filed June 7, 1961 Sheets-Sheet 8 SOUKCE 70 mp FFED as 152 I I I62 I [24 Q v L INVENTORS LEO LAT/NI, DMOND LAfl/V/ A D JUHNf. I' l/V/ BY a f TURN l May 5, 1964 L. LATINI ETAL AUTOMATIC WRAPPING MACHINES FOR PREFORMED UNIFORM ARTICLES Filed Jun 7, 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORS EDMO/VDMTIN/ LEO LAT/NI,

A TTOR/Vf) May 5, 1964 LATlNl ETAL 3,

AUTOMATIC WRAPPING MACHINES FOR PREFORMED UNIFORM ARTICLES Filed June 7, 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet 1O 9 mn w INVENTORS LEZjgTIJ/VLILZMU/VDMIWI United States Patent 3,131,522 AUTOMATIC WRAPIIN G MACHENES FOR PREFQRMED UNIFORM ARTICLES Leo Latini, Edmond Latini, and John E. Latini, Chicago,

Ill., assignors to Chocolate Spraying (30., Chicago, 111.,

a corporation of Illinois Filed June 7, 1961, Ser. No. 115,424 17 Claims. (Cl. 53-227) This invention relates to wrapping machines for preformed uniformly shaped articles such as hard candies and the like and more particularly to continuously operating automatic wrapping instrumentalities of high speed dependable production capacity, although certain features thereof may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes.

It contemplates more especially the provision of an improved, substantially greater capacity, and more efiicient hard candy or similar article wrapping instrumentalities of the twist-type which is automatic, high speed and functions in a continuity of coordinated mechanical operations without any manual intervention and with utmost efficiency attendant with minimum or no waste.

Numerous types of wrapping machines of the twisttype have heretofore been proposed, but these for the most part are intermittent in operation, of comparatively low capacity, and are not fully automatic in the sense that minimum superivision is required. In fact, these known devices require an attendant and are not entirely satisfactory to meet the increased requirements for greater production with less supervision than heretofore required with known structures. The continuity of feeding hard articles of uniform preformed configuration such as candies, simultaneously arranging and supplying wrappers therefor, enclosing the wrappers therearound with twists at both ends, and discharging same in a high speed continuity of operations without any manual intervention, involves novel structural instrumentalities in combination for continuous operation without requiring the comparatively slow, intricate and wear producing characteristics of intermittent operating elements.

One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and improve the operation of devices of the character mentioned.

Another object is to provide improved feeding, transferring, wrapping, and preformed article enclosing devices which are combined in a novel manner for continupus high speed operation to wrap candy pieces and the ike.

Still another object is to provide improved feeding, wrapping and discharging instrumentalities that are cooperatively actuated in timed relation to successively operate in a continuity of high speed movements to wrap preformed articles in greater numbers and with more dependable results than heretofore possible.

A further object is to improve preformed article feeding devices coordinated with wrapping instrumentalities and discharge means in a continuity of high speed operations for the successive wrapping of small articles in increasingly large numbers without any manual control or intervention.

A still further object is to provide novel plural twisting instrumentalities in timed operating relation with wrapper feeder means for successively enclosing preformed articles from a continuous supply of wrapping material in a continuity of high speed movements.

Still a further object is to provide feeding, conveying, complemented manipulating, continuous wrapper strip supply, twisting and ejector instrumentalities which are moveable relative to each other in timed relation for continuous operation to wrap preformed articles such as uniformly shaped candies with increased speed and at minimum unit cost without manual intervention or control.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrated embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a candy wrapping machine embodying features of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic view of the electrical control system between the vibrator supply hopper and the candy distributor embodying a float control mounted in the article distributor.

FIGURE 3 is a front view in elevation of the candy wrapping machine shown in FIGURE 1, parts thereof being broken away and shown in section to clarify the showing.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line IV-IV of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view in elevation taken substantially along line VV of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the candy feeder and distributor sub-assembly shown in combination in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view in elevation taken substantially along line VII-VII of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a front view in elevation of an individual candy gripper and ejector viewed from line VIIIVIII of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view in elevation taken substantially along line IX-IX of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary enlarged view in elevation of the discharge end of the machine with parts broken away to clarify the showing.

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view in elevation substantially along line XIXI of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view in elevation of one part of the twister mechanism taken substantially along line XIIXII of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 13 is a plan sectional view of one part of the twister mechanism taken substantially along line XIIIXIII of FIGURE 12.

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view in elevation of one part of the twister mechanism taken substmtially along line XIV-XIV of FIGURE 13.

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary plan view in section of a twister element taken substantially along line XV-XV of FIGURE 14.

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary plan view of the cellophane or other paper feed mechanism shown in combination in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 17 is a side sectional view in elevation of the paper feed rolls taken substantially along line XV Il- XVII of FIGURE 16.

FIGURE 18 is a fragmentary top plan view of the limit switch and its casing for controlling the paper feed roll actuating instrumentalities when an article is not in position for wrapping. 7

FIGURE 19 is a fragmentary sectional view of the limit switch and guard viewed from the rear of the machine and taken in elevation.

FIGURE 20 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of the paper feed mechanism memory control device which operates responsive to an omission of an article to be wrapped and which will not reach the wrapping station to avoid feeding of paper therefor.

FIGURE 21 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the solenoid and control lever constituting part of the paper feed control device.

FIGURE 22 is a schematic diagram of the paper feed memory control system.

FIGURE 23 is a sectional plan view of the candy 3 transfer device taken substantially along line XXIII- XXIII of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 24 is a view in elevation of the candy transfer device viewed substantially along line XXIV-XXIV of FIGURE 23.

FIGURE 25 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified article distributor mechanism and transfer device similar to the structure and view illustrated in FIGURE 1 for round flat preformed articles, but adapted as modified to feed oblong or cylindrical preformed articles.

FIGURE 26 is a plan view of a modified embodiment of the distributor sub-assembly similar to FIGURE 6 but adapted to a differently shaped preformed article to be wrapped with the instrumentalities illustrated in the previously described embodiment.

FIGURE 27 is an enlarged sectional view in elevation of a modified transfer cup taken substantially along line XXVII-XXVII of FIGURE 25.

FIGURE 28 is a fragmentary view in. elevation of the transfer cup attaching bracket with its cup shown in an extreme rotated position, this being required in the feeding of oblong or cylindrical preformed articles as the distributor aligns them in one direction and the conveying mechanism transfers them in a ninety degree rotated position with the transfer mechanism accomplishing the change while effecting the spacing thereof.

FIGURE 29 is a plan view of an oblong article such as a barrel-shaped candy piece of common shape suitable for wrapper processing with the modified distributor and spacing instrumentalities which can be readily substituted for the similar spacer cups in the first described embodiment that is primarily adapted to feed and auto matically wrap fiat circularly shaped preformed articles.

The structure selected for illustration is not intended to serve as a limitation upon the scope or teachings of the invention, but is merely illustrative thereof. There may be considerable variations and adaptations of all or part of the teachings thereof depending upon the dictates of commercial practice. The present invention comprises a vibrator controlled candy supply hopper 10 of the gravity-vibrator type of which there may be many standard or known variations to discharge preformed uniform articles, in this instance hard glazed circular candies, from the discharge spout 11 thereof while the vibrator is in operation. The spout 11 overhangs a circular plate 12 which is provided with a large number of closely associated apertures 13 around and proximate to the periphery thereof to receive a preformed candy in each for loose fitting fiat association therein. The circular plate 12 is confined by an upstanding cylindrical stationary wall 14 for confining a substantial quantity of candies above the circular plate 12 which is slowly driven in a counterclockwise direction (viewed from FIGURE 1) while a conically shaped deflector plate 15 is driven in an opposite or clockwise direction to insure that all candies will eventually slide into the peripheral trough defined by the upstanding wall 14 and the conical deflector 15. A power rotated cylindrical brush 16 is mounted in the wall 14 to brush against the bottom of the plate 12 in the region of the apertures 13 to keep these clean and allow the articles to always fit flat therein. The brush 16 rotates in a counterclockwise direction (viewed from FIGURE 7) in the direction opposite to the movement of the circular plate 12 to render the cleaning action more effective.

It should be noted that the plate 12 and conical deflector 15 are mounted on and operatively connected to separate telescoping shafts 17-18 which are oppositely driven through the bottom in a manner not important to nor comprising anything other than mechanical detail with which the concept of the present invention is not concerned. Ejector or elevating plugs 18 (FIGURE 7) are disposed in each of the many apertures 13 to rest below, in line with or above the surface of the plate 15 for reciprocal movement through rods 19 attached thereto and moveably mounted in bushings 20 carried by a sup- 4 porting plate 21 mounted below the distributor plate 12. Levers 22 pivotally mounted to the rods 19 at one end and to 2. depending bracket 23 as at 24-25 provide for the vertical reciprocation of the aperture plugs 18 by means of cam follower rollers 26 riding either on cam tracks 27 or the surface of the guiding plate 28 to determine their position of elevation relative to the apertures 13 for the purpose of transferring the candies in predetermined timed relation along a stationary plate 29 (FIG- URES 6 and 7). In order to control the supply of candy units or pieces from the vibration type hopper 10 to the distributor plate 12, a control such as a spherical float 30 preferably though not essentially a hollow aluminum sphere, is attached to a curved shank 31 to terminate in a shaft 32 for pivotal mounting on a bracket 33 fixed adjacent to the distributor plate 12 and outside the confining wall 14 thereof (FIGURES l, 6 and 7). The normal gravitation downwardly of the float 30 into the circular trough defined by the plate wall 14 and the conical deflector 15 above the circular series of apertures 13, causes the float 39 to make light contact with the candy therein to control the quantity or level thereof in or on the distributor plate 12. To the end of balancing the fioat 39 at a predetermined elevation in the distributor 12-14, a counterweight 34 is adjustably carried by the float shaft 32 to balance the float 30 so that it will be positioned in the path of the superposed candies in the distributor trough above the apertures 13 in the distributor plate 12 and the level controlled by adjusting the counterweight 34 along the shaft 32. When the distributor trough is filled to the predetermined level, the float 30 will be elevated by the candies and cause the shaft 32 thereof with the aid of the counterweight 34 to trip a microsvvitch 35 fixed to the bracket 33 in the path of the float shaft 32. This will open the circuit to the motor 36 which with standard mechanism creates the vibratory movement of the hopper 10. Thus the flow of the candy units from the hopper 10 onto the distributor plate 12 will be stopped so long as the level of the candy therein is suflicient to maintain the apertures 13 filled as the plate 12 is rotated.

The transfer mechanism that delivers the individual candy or other units from the distributor apertures 13 across the stationary plate 29 (FIGURE 6), comprises a conveyor frame 37 disposed in a horizontal plane to provide endless conveyor passes over the distributor plate 12 and its apertures 13. The conveyor frame 37 has vertically journalled end sprockets 38-39 meshing with a pair of superposed parallel endless sprocket chains 40-41 (FIGURES 3, 4 and 5) that have a stretch thereof passing over the distributor plate 12. The sprocket chains 40-41 are guided and driven by the end sprockets 38-39 journalled in the conveyor frame 37 to carry a plurality of brackets 42 to which cups 43 are attached (FIGURE 4). The cups 43 are attached to the chains 40-41 by means of brackets 44, which present forward cut-outs 45 in the lower open ends 46 thereof to sweep over the candy units as they are nested into the distributor apertures 13 for movement in timed relation therewith so that the distributor elevators 18 will rise as the cups 43 are in registry thereover to carry the candy units along the stationary plate 2% to another conveyor for transfer and displacement to the wrapping station as will be presently described. It should be noted that the transfer cups 43 are provided with ejectors 47 mounted on rods 48 guided in bushings 49 formed on the supporting brackets 44 (FIGURE 4). The ejector rods terminate in laterally offset cam track follower wheels 50 which serve to actuate the ejectors 47 vertically to discharge the candy from the cups 43 as the filled ones are over and traversing with a conveyor 52 disposed in a vertical plane on the same frame with the other instrumentalities described and to be hereinfater described.

The conveyor frame 52 (FIGURES 3, 23 and 24) has an endless sprocket double chain 53, 53 disposed in the vertical plane between spaced sprocket wheels 54-55. Alternating candy receiving cup links 56 and lugs 57 serving as spacers, traverse beneath the transfer cups 43 (FIGURE in timed relation therewith to receive the candy units therefrom for deposit in the cup links 56 which have axially mounted and reciprocating ejector rods 58 slidably mounted therein (FIGURE 24). The ejector rods 58 are spring urged to recede inwardly within the cup links 56 and they in turn have rounded ex tremities 59 that pass for a portion of their path or movement in confronting contact with a properly shaped cam track 60 that elevates the candy units from the cup links 56 into the confronting jaws 61-62 (FIG- URES 3, 5 and 8) of grippers 63. The grippers 63 are provided in uniform spaced relation for attachment and support by two pairs of parallel chains 64-65 carried by end sprockets 66 and 67 journalled in vertical bearings in the horizontally disposed conveyor frame 68. The conveyor frame 68 (FIGURES l and 5) presents a stretch of the grippers 63 attached to the chains 64-65, in the path of and above the filled cups or cup links 56 so that when they are aligned with the open grippers 63, the elevating ejectors 58 present the candy units 76 upwardly against a Wrapper 69 (FIGURE 8) which was just previously cut from a supply roll 70 (FIGURE 16) intermittently fed by rollers 70-71 into a horizontal slit 73 (FIGURE 24) provided in a horizontal guide plate 74 fixed to the top frame of the conveyor 52 at the wrapping station at which a cellophane or other wrapper of known construction such as the wrapper unit 75 is attached (FIGURE 1). The wrapper unit 75 has an oscillating shear-type cutter 76 which operates in front of the guide plate 74 to present individual cut wrappers 69 below the gripper jaws 61-62 just prior to the moment the elevators 5S lift the candy units 7 6 against the cut wrapper 69 toward and between the gripper jaws 61-62 (FIGURE 8) to present an inverted U-shaped configuration as the grippers close to hold the candy units 76 with its wrapper 69.

To this end, the gripper jaws 61-62 are pivoted as at 77-78 to the gripper frame 63 (FIGURES 8 and 9), and they are normally caused to approach each other by a spring mounte to studs 80-81 carrying cam actuated Wheels 80' 81'. An ejector rod 82 is vertically guided in a bushing or sleeve 83 fixed to the gripper frame 63, the ejector rod beingactuated by a wheel 84 carried at its upper end to follow a cam plate 85 (FIG- URE 5). The sleeve 83 in turn carries a cam follower wheel 86 in the path of the cam plate 87 (FIGURE 3) to actuate the frusto-conical cam 38 in the path of the gripper jaw wheels Sty-"1 to separate the latter as the ejector rod 82 descends to release the wrapped candy units 76 after the ends of the wrapper are twisted in a manner to be hereinafter described. To preclude the accidental ascent of the sleeve 83 or its descent for that matter while the grippers 61-62 retain the candy unit 76 and wrapper 69 in inverted U-shaped configuration, fixed rollers 39-90 are mounted to the shanks of the grippers 61-62 as a complement of arcuate notches 91-92 (FIGURE 8) for locking engagement therewith as the shanks of the grippers approach each for retention of the wrapper enveloped candy unit 76 during the wrapping and twisting thereof as will presently appear. The ejector rod 82 is normally urged downwardly by a tension spring 93 (FIGURE 9) so that the cam follower roller 84 will be in roliing contact with the'cam track 85 and the sleeve roller 86 will be in rolling contact with its cam track 94 (FIGURE 5) which controls the open and closed positions of the gripper jaws 61-62. In order to guide the gripper frames 63 in their path around the horizontal conveyor frame 68, the corners thereof are provided with guide rollers 95-96 and 97-98 which contact the lower and upper surfaces of the, spaced horizontal conveyor frame plates 99-100 (FIGURE 3).

With the candies 76 gripped and the wrappers U- shaped invertedly therewith between the gripper jaws 61-62, they are horizontally conveyed toward the right (viewed from FIGURE 3) so that the leading depending flap 101 (FIGURE 8) is brushed against the stationary horizontal plate 102 (FIGURE 5) and turned around under the candy piece 76 whereupon an oscillating tucker shoe 103 moves in a clockwise direction to engage the depending flap 102 of the wrapper 69 (FIGURE 8) to bring it around and under the article, in this instance the candy 76, in overlapping relation with the first flap 101 previously folded under, thereby completing the wrap of the candy 76 in the direction of travel except for its open ends which will be automatically twisted to fully enclose the candy piece 76. The tucker shoe 103 is carried by a shank 104 pivoted to the frame as at 105 (FIGURE 5) for oscillatory timed actuation by a lever 106 which, in turn, is actuated by a link 107 having a bell crank arm 108 pivotally connected therewith. The bell crank arm 108 is actuated in timed relation with the other overlapping operation described supra, by means of a suitable cam (not shown) driven by mechanism 109 of standard or known construction from the main drive instrumentalities which form no part of the invention and are within the dictates of skilled technicians. Now, then, the open end twisters comprise two spaced mechanisms confined in housings 110-111 (FIGURE 1) positioned on both sides of the horizontal stretch of the conveyor 68 which feed the articles along a predetermined path. The twister housings 110-111 confront each other with the front side stretch of the conveyor chains 64-65 therebetween. Each of the twister housings 110-111 have, in this instance, five twister shafts 112 horizontally journalled therein (FIGURES 12 to 14) with two pairs in superposed relation and one at the end for linear travel along a predetermined elliptical path defined by two pairs of chains 113-114 which mesh with correspondingly spaced sprockets 115-116 fixed to each of the twister shaft drive mounts.

The shafts 112 also have pinions 117 fixed thereto for rotation therewith at their extremities to mesh with an elliptical rack 118 so that the twister shafts 112 will rotate as they traverse a linear path along an elliptical raceway defined by the chains 113-114 meshing with the sprockets 115-116. This compound movement of linear and rotary travel is effected through the main shaft 119 having a drive shaft sprocket 120 fixed thereto outside of the housings 110-111 for operative connection with a chain extending to the main drive in a manner well known in mechanical design arts. It should vbe noted that the twister carrying chains 113-114 meshing with the sprockets 115-116 define the elliptical path of travel for the twister shafts 112, the sprockets 115-116 being fixed for rotation on the drive shaft 119 atone end of the housings 110-111 and on the idler shaft 121 at the other end of each of the housings 110-111. The open tubular shafts 112 extend outwardly toward each other in each of the housings 110-111 to receive externally projecting rods 122 (FIGURE 12) that have oppositely disposed racks 123-124 provided thereon to mesh with gear sectors 124-125 formed on the enlarged bosses 126-127 of confronting jaws 128 -129 which comprise wrapper end grippers and twisters disposed in confrontingaxial end alignment with corresponding counterparts in each of the twister housings 110-111 which operate as to every detailed movement in exact timed relation with respect'to their opening, jaw closing, rotation about their own drive shafts 112, and in their traverse along a rectilinear path defined by the elliptical or substantially elliptical raceways and chains 113-114. 'It should be noted that while the pinions 117 of each twister pair ofjaws 128-129, are in meshing engagement with the racks 118, the rectilinear displacement thereof is in exact unison with the grippers 61-62 which carry the partially wrapped candy pieces 76Wbetween the twisters 128-129 in alignment therewith to effect the grasp and twisting of the open wrapper ends to elfect the closing thereof.

The opening and closing of the twister jaws 128-129 as will be described hereinafter, is accomplished in the proper timed approach of the partially wrapped candy 76 that travels therewith owing to the corresponding movement of the grippers 61-62 carrying successive pieces of candy or other articles 76 so that successive twisters 128-129 will traverse an endless path to close the open ends of partially wrapped articles or candy pieces, in this instance, that are held by the successive grippers 61-62. The spacing, timing and relative speed of movement of the various chains carrying the grippers 61-62 and the twisters 128-129 is a matter of design and comparative members of each mechanism to accomplish the desired conveying and simultaneous functions thereon for auto matically supplying, dispensing, spacing, conveying, wrapping, wrap folding, wrap twisting, and discharging the completely wrap enclosed pieces 76 by opening of the gripper jaws 61-62 at the proper time. As shown, the twister bosses 126-127 have pivot pins 130-131 projecting therethrough to mount the jaws 128-129 to actuating instrumentalities, in this instance, on the shafts 112 that have furcated extremities presenting confronting mounts 132-133 through which the jaw pivot pins 130-131 extend. The jaws 128-129 have spaced complemental paper engaging ridges 134-135 in the enlarged confronting engaging plates 136-137 to enable the open ends of the wrapper 101-182 (FIGURE 8) to be effectively grasped for complete twisting any desired num ber of revolutions to complete the wrapped enclosure of each candy piece 76. The timed opening and closing of the twister engaging plates 136-137 on the gripper jaw arms 123-129 is accomplished by the axial displacement of the gripper shaft rods 122.

The twister shaft rods 122 have rounded end extensions 138 (FIGURE 12) threadedly extending into the axial rods 122 to adjust the position thereof in relation to cam plates 139-140 to displace the rods 122 inwardly and open the jaw plates 136-137 to receive the open ends of the wrappers around the candy 76 and as the rod ends 138 ride off the cam plates 139-140, a spring 141 surrounding the rods 122 is permitted to displace the unobstructed rod end 138 backwardly to close the jaw plates 136-137 and start the twisting of the wrapper ends to complete the wrapping enclosure of the candy 76 and allow the discharge thereof down the shute 142 and into a container. After the twist is accomplished simultaneously at both ends by the correspondingly timed twister mechanisms 110-111, the individual twisters 128-129 open by the contact of the rod ends upon the camming plate 140 so that the twisted and completed wrap around the candy 76 will be dropped into the inclined chute 142. At this moment, the grippers 61-62 are opened and the ejector rod 82 thereof are caused to descend to insure the release of the completed candy wrap. This occurs by the action of the gripper rollers 84-86 in relation to a fixed cam plate 143 (FIGURE 3) and 144 which control the action of the grippers 61-62 from the first step of grasping the candy with the wrapper in inverted U-shaped formation (FIGURE 8), completing the envelopment in one direction and twisting the open ends thereof for discharge thereafter in a continuity of high speed successive wraps of over three hundred candy pieces per minute without the intervention of any attendant and completely avoiding any waste in paper 70 which is intermittently fed and cut into individual pieces.

In the event and should an unwrapped candy unit fail to find its way into a conveyor pocket 56 (FIGURES l, 3, and 24) at least five positions prior to arriving at the wrapping station 75 (FIGURE 1), the ejector rod 47 in the transferring cup 43 (FIGURE 4) will be down lower than otherwise when resting upon a candy supported on plate 29, and will cause their cam follower wheels 50 (FIGURE 4) to be tn'pped by the camming plate 145 tiltably mounted as at 146 to the conveyor frame 37. The plate 145 is normally urged in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 146 interposed therebetween, that is between the plate 145 and the frame 37, to actuate a bracket 143 disposed in the path of a microswitch 149 (see FIGURES 19 and 22) which deenergizes the solenoid 150 that in turn allows the spring 151 to displace a rod 152 outwardly or toward the left (viewed from FIGURE 20). This comprises part of a control usually termed an indexing device and sometimes identified as a memory mechanism 153. This memory mechanism 153 may take a number of different forms and specifically is not germane to the subject matter of the wrapping mechanism, but is only desirable to displace the feed roller 71 (FIGURE 17) from feeding engagement with the idler roller 72 so that the continuous strip of paper 70 will not advance when the conveyor pocket 56 arrives at the wrapping station without any candy or other article 76 therein. In such event, the paper 70 should not be cut and applied in the usual manner because such would clog the machine, impair the operation thereof, and of course would be a waste of paper 70 which is secondary to the other considerations however. This feed roller displacement to avoid paper feeding will occur when the circumferentially spaced pins 154, in this instance ten, within the drum 155 are selectively withdrawn from their operative position to allow correspondingly positioned trips 156 to be drawn inwardly by their springs 157 (FIGURE 20).

There is a receptacle 56 in the conveyor 57 for each pin 154 in the drum 155 between the hopper and dispenser or article distributor 12 and the position of the wrapping mechanism feed roller which is termed the wrapping station in that the paper feed roller 71 effects the cutting of the wrapper segment and the feeding thereof at this point for application over the candy piece 76 through the intermittent operation of the wrapper 75. Should any of the conveyor feeding receptacles 56 be without any candy piece through an inadvertent malfunction which is exceedingly rare, then the transfer cup ejectors 47 confronting the candy 76 will be lowered in the absence thereof and one or more of the ten pins 154 will be withdrawn and the trips 156 will respond to their springs 157 so that the offsets 158 (FIGURE 20) will engage another microswitch 159 which in turn energizes the second solenoid 160. The solenoid 160 upon being energized will actuate the levers 161 and 162 that are operatively connected to the pivotal arms 163-164 (FIGURE 16) comprising the swinging mount for the paper feed roller 71. The feed roller arms 163-164 are held rigid by the shaft 165 upon which the feed roller 71 moves as an orbit responsive to the combined electromechanical control built into the memory device 153. Consequently, the paper 70 will not be displaced and, therefore, none will be cut for application over the candy 76 when the conveyor receptacle 56 arrives at the wrapping station without any article such as the circular flat preformed candy piece 76 in the transfer recess of the link 56 which is at the wrapping station. This not only spares paper 70, but more important than any such saving is the safeguard against impairing the operation of the precisely timed instrumentalities by the accumulation of paper wrappers that would become entwined in the moving instrumentalities or in the path of successive pieces to be wrapped. The elimination of this hazard will insure that the moving parts that operate in precise timed and synchronized relation with each other, will not jam and cause failures with a resultant time loss that is important in high speed and high production machines of this character which are not fully attended and operate automatically with minimum labor intervention and supervision.

It should be observed that while the prime mover and power source for the described and illustrated parts are more or less standard elements which are interconnected in the manner well known by machine designers, all of the instrumentalities operate from a common power source which is an electric motor mounted on the base and inside the frame. Standard types of gears, speed reducers, levers, cams, cam followers, clutches and the like are interconnected and designed to operate all of the synchronized instrumentalities from the common source of motive power such as an electric motor of suflicient capacity to serve as a prime mover for all of the elements. The exact linkage, clutches, hand wheel for manual setting of the instrumentalities during inspection, repair, and demonstration as well as for adjusting the timing of the parts, are not germane to the subject matter of our invention and constitute routine machine design so that further illustration and description thereof is thought unnecessary to an understanding of the combination of synchronized elements which function to accomplish the automatic feeding, spacing, wrapping, twisting and discharging or any sub-combination thereof described supra.

In the modified structure disclosed in FIGURES 25 to 29 inclusive, oblong r barrelled shaped articles 76' (FIGURE 29) may be disposed with their elongated axes in a circumferential path for deposit in the correspon ingly and somewhat larger sized receptacles 18' provided in the distributor plate 12'. The corresponding parts in the modified embodiment are identified with corresponding numerals primed to identify the modified structure so that further description of detailed parts and functions becomes unnecessary to understand the invention, except for the additional mechanism to be hereinafter described. To this end, the modified transfer mechanism (FIGURE 27) is provided with a conveyor frame 37' fitted with somewhat different transfer cups 167'168' comprising an elongated vertical bearing 167 having a bracket formed integral therewith to provide spaced apertured ears 168-169 (FIGURE 28) to enable the sub- 'stitution of this modified type of cup 168' for the plain cup brackets 42 illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the first described embodiment adapted for processing fiat circular disc-shaped articles 76 (FIGURE 8).

In this instance, the bracket bearing 167 carries a cup 170 which is provided with an integral laterally ofiset ear 171 (FIGURE 27) to serve as a mount for a cam follower roller 172 journalled on a stud shaft 173 fitted to the aperture 174 by means of a threaded stud extremity 175 having a fastener nut 176 secured thereto. The cup 168 has a reduced tubular shaft extension 177 vertically journalled in the bore 178 provided in the bracket 167 to rotarily mount the cup 168' in the bracket 167 A spring 179 is anchored to a stud 180 fixed to a cup extension boss 181, and it is lodged in a circumferential horizontal groove 182 provided in the exterior of the cup bracket 167. The other end of the spring 179 is anchored to the bracket 167 so that the cup 168 is always urged in a clockwith direction (viewed from FIGURE 25) to an initial position determined by a built-in limit stop 133 (FIG- URE 27) and which position is illustrated by the cup 168 nearest the numeral 37' as illustrated in FIGURE 25.

A cam plate 18 is positioned and mounted above the conveyor frame 37' (FIGURE 25 in the path of the cup bracket follower wheels 172 torotate the cups 168 so that the oblong slot 185 therein with one end thereof in communication with the cup exterior (FIGURE 28) to receive the oblong candy 76' endwise therethrough and transfer as well as rotate it transversely for a distance of ninety degrees to assume a crosswise position on the spacer recessed links of the conveyor 57' whose recesses 58 are so positioned thereon and therein to receive the candy pieces 76' in the required direction. It will be apparent from the use of the conical deflector in the distributor 12' that the articles 76' can only be displaced to assume a circumferential alignment with the similarly disposed recesses 18' provided in the peripheral region of the distributor plate 12' beyond the periphery of the conical deflector 15' from which the elliptical, oblong,

barrel-shaped or similarly preformed articles such as the candies 76' will roll downwardly on their cylindrical walls for deposit in the properly disposed recesses 18' with their axes generally following the circumferential mid-line of the exposed portion of the distributor plate 12'. Because of the action of the deflector member 15, the recesses 18' must be so oriented as described and this presents the necessity of providing'the cam rotated spacer cups 168 which can be substituted and interchanged with the plain stationary cups 42 in the first described embodiment depending upon the shape of the articles 76 or 76' or other shapes that may be run at different times. To this end, all the machines described supra may advantageously be equipped with the guide cams 184 so that the machine will be useable by merely changing the type of cups 42 or 168' or others for that matter depending upon the shape of the articles 76. This also requires that the distributor plates 12 or 12' be substituted which is very readily accomplished by any supervising attendant without the requirement for any special skills. 7

The rotation of oblong articles 76' becomes necessary also because the distributor plate 12' can only receive them in a circumferential direction of orientation in the recesses 18' thereof while on the conveyor mechanism 57' the same candies or articles 76' are desirably disposed transversely so that the small ends thereof will be twisted rather than attempt to twist them intermediate the ends which would prove rather cumbersome and impractical. As a result, to accommodate both the distributor 12' and the conveyor 57 as well as to afford the twisting of the small ends of the oblong articles 76', this modified spacer cup mechanism 168 with the stationary cam plate 37' appears to be a desirable expedient which renders the wrapping of a variety of different sized and shaped articles very easily accomplished so long as each run is with uniform preformed articles for which the distributor 12-12 and conveyor recesses 58' and spacer cups 42-168 are adapted and substituted.

While We have illustrated and described several preferred embodiments of our invention, it must be understood that our invention is capable of considerable variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore we do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A wrapping machine for preformed articles and the like comprising means for continuously feeding preformed articles along a predetermined path, means in said path for uniformly spacing said articles while being continuously displaced along said predetermined path, wrapper applying means operating in timed relation with said spacing means to intermittently and sequentially provide a cut wrapper in thepath of each article as they traverse the wrapping station, article gripper means in said path for grasping the articles and Wrapper together while traversing along saidpredetermined path beyond the wrapping station thereof under the control of said gripper means, means in said path for enveloping said wrapper around each article in the direction of said predetermined path, and means synchronously moving along said predetermined path for providing a twist on an end of said wrapper while traversing said path under the control of said gripper means, and means for releasing said gripper means for the discharge of the wrapped articles beyond said predetermined path of travel withof material in intermittent timed relation with said continuously operating feeding means.

3. A wrapping machine defined in claim 2 wherein means are provided to actuate the gripper means to move downwardly over the wrapper and article to simultaneously grip the wrapper and article while effectively gripping both with one in partial enveloping relation with the other to start the wrapper fold thereon.

4. A wrapping machine defined in claim 3 wherein the wrapper enveloping means includes a stationary plate in the path of the oncoming gripped wrapper article to displace the Wrapper further around the article, and an 05- cillating tucker cooperating with said stationary plate to enclose the wrapper around the article in the direction of its traverse along said predetermined path, and means to actuate said oscillating tucker in synchronized timed relation with said continuous feeding means.

5. A wrapping machine defined in claim 4 wherein said twist providing means include a plurality of horizontally spaced grippers that simultaneously grip and rotate the wrapper end to twist the wrapper shut.

6. A wrapping machine defined in claim 5 wherein the twist providing means comprise a plurality of confronting pairs of spaced grippers positioned end-to-end on both sides of the predetermined path of travel, and means for simultaneously rotating and linearly displacing said twisting means to grip and rotate the open opposite ends of the partially wrapped articles to twist and complete the wrapper enclosure of the articles while traversing along the predetermined path of travel.

7. A wrapping machine defined in claim 6 wherein endless racks cooperate with the confronting pairs of grippers for rectilinear and rotary displacement in timed relation with the articles as they traverse along the predetermined path while gripping and twisting the opposite ends of the partially wrapped articles.

8. A wrapping machine defined in claim 3 including conveying means disposed in the path of said feeding means to move in timed unison therewith, said conveying means having uniformly spaced article support and ejecting means aligned with and operating toward and away from said gripper means, and stationary cam means mounted in said predetermined path to cooperate with said article support and ejecting means to support the articles in timed relation therewith to transfer the articles with cut wrappers from said conveying means to said grippers for continued displacement to complete the wrapping operations.

9. A wrapping machine defined in claim 4 including article support and ejecting means associated with said feeding means for aligned movement with said gripper means, and camming means disposed in said predetermined path to cooperate with said article support and ejecting means to support the articles with cut wrappers in timed relation therewith for transfer to successive grippers to partially wrap the articles, effect the gripping thereof and continued displacement to complete the wrapping in a continuity of operations.

10. A wrapping machine defined in claim 5 including article support and ejecting means associated with said feeding means for aligned movement with said gripper means, and camming means disposed in said predetermined path to cooperate with said article support and ejecting means to support wrapper superposed articles in timed moving relation therewith for transfer to confronting grippers to partially wrap and grip successive articles while continuing the transfer thereof to complete the Wrapping in a continuity of operations.

11. A wrapping machine defined in claim 10 including a rotating article hopper and dispenser means for depositing the articles, and article spacer means disposed beneath said dispenser means to continuously transfer the articles to said feeding means in predetermined spaced relation to each other and said article support and ejecting means for displacement along a predetermined path of travel to complete the operations thereon for wrapping enclosure thereof.

12. A wrapping machine defined in claim 8 including a continuously rotating article hopper and dispenser means for depositing the articles therebeneath, and article spacer control means disposed beneath said dispenser means for receiving the articles in uniformly spaced relation thereon to continuously transfer the articles to said article support and ejecting means.

13. A wrapping machine defined in claim 12 wherein the article hopper and dispenser means are provided with means for controlling the quantity of articles to be supplied thereto within limits of satisfactory operating efiiciency.

14. A wrapping machine defined in claim 13 wherein the article hopper and dispenser means are provided with a superposed gravity flow supply mechanism, and vibrating means in electrical connection with said hopper control means to automatically maintain the desired level of articles in said hopper and dispenser means.

15. A wrapper mechanism for preformed articles defined in claim 14 wherein the wrapper enveloping means includes a stationary plate in the path of the oncoming gripped wrapper and articles to complete the forward fold of the wrapper about the articles, and tucker means operatively connected to said feeding means in timed relation with the movement of the partially wrapped articles to complete the rearward fold of the wrapper about the articles without interruption to the feeding thereof along the predetermined path of travel between said dispenser means and beyond said tucker means.

16. A wrapper mechanism for preformed uniform articles defined in claim 15 wherein twister means are provided in the path of the partially wrapped articles, and means for actuating said twister means to engage the open ends thereof preparatory to releasing the grippers thereon for effecting the discharge of the completely wrapped articles in a continuity of timed movement of the articles without interruption from the beginning of the feeding to the discharge thereof.

17. A wrapper mechanism for preformed uniform articles defined in claim 16 wherein elect'ro-mechanical means are provided to render said wrapper applying means inoperative when an article is absent from any of the support and ejecting transfer means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 848,344 Buhse Mar. 26, 1907 1,144,022 Berger June 22, 1915 2,090,257 Hunter Aug. 17, 1937 2,744,370 Seragnoli May 8, 1956 

1. A WRAPPING MACHINE FOR PERFORMED ARTICLES AND THE LIKE COMPRISING MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY FEEDING PREFORMED ARTICLES ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH, MEANS IN SAID PATH FOR UNIFORMLY SPACING SAID ARTICLES WHILE BEING CONTINUOUSLY DISPLACED ALONG SAID PREDETERMINED PATH, WRAPPER APPLYING MEANS OPERATING IN TIMED RELATION WITH SAID SPACING MEANS TO INTERMITTENTY AND SEQUENTIALLY PROVIDE A CUT WRAPPER IN THE PATH OF EACH ARTICLE AS THEY TRAVERSE THE WRAPPING STATION, ARTICLE GRIPPER MEANS IN SAID PATH FOR GRASPING THE ARTICLES AND WRAPPER TOGETHER WHILE TRAVERSING ALONG SAID PREDETERMINED PATH BEYOND THE WRAPPING STATION THEREOF UNDER THE CONTROL OF SAID GRIPPER MEANS, MEANS IN SAID PATH FOR ENVELOPING SAID WRAPPER AROUND EACH ARTICLE IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID PRE- 